Hasselback butternut squash | Hasselback squash recipe | Butternut squash recipe easy

In the USA, UK, Europe and many other western countries, butternut squash is hugely popular, and they prepare various recipes with it. I can guarantee you this Hasselback butternut squash will be a real treat for the butternut squash lovers. But many Asian countries and eastern subcontinents are not aware of this delicious vegetable squash.

What is Butternut squash?

Butternut squash is a winter squash which is also known as Butternut pumpkin and Gramma. It is a fleshy vegetable with thick and hard skin. It contains orange pulp inside with some white seeds. It tastes quite like pumpkin. It is sweet in taste and has a nutty flavour.

In nutshell, Butternut squash is a very versatile vegetable and hundreds of delectable dishes are prepared with it. It can even get cooked in multiple ways like roasted, baked, sautéed etc. It is used to prepare cakes, muffins, breads, soups, rice recipes, casseroles, pasta and many more.

Though butternut squash tastes quite like pumpkin but it is not the same. I have prepared myriad Indian and world recipes with the winter squash. But I have never tried hasselback butternut squash until I had seen the picture of the recipe on a magazine. The breath-taking beauty of the dish grabbed my complete attention. I just got lost in the beauty of the fancy dish and had first decided to prepare it as a Christmas recipe for vegetarian two years ago.

The hasselback butternut squash was a huge hit on the Christmas eve. Everyone just loves it not only because of its gorgeous look but also for its irresistible taste. Even my non-vegetarian friends couldn’t stop themselves to try the recipe. Since that success party, it has become mandatory to put hasselback butternut squash into the Christmas dinner party.

What is Hasselback butternut squash?

It is a baked butternut squash recipe where the squash is divided into half lengthwise, peeled, deseeded. Then the squash is baked for some time to get softer so that the squash can easily get sliced. It is then thinly sliced but not cut until the end to be singles. So, the squash does not lose its original shape and then they are seasoned and topped with spices before going into the oven for baking. Hasselback potatoes and hasselback butternut squash are the most popular variety of hasselback recipes.

Hasselback recipe was first invented in Sweden in a restaurant named Hasselbacken. From there, the dishes are named so.

Hasselback butternut squash-Reason behind its popularity

Hasselback butternut squash recipe with step by step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section of the recipe. If you follow the steps precisely then you will get the perfect hasselback squash with gorgeous looks. But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share few interesting facts about the recipe and Butternut squash.

Health benefits of Butternut Squash

How to choose Butternut Squash?

There are few tricks to choose a perfectly ripe Butternut squash. If you are new at picking butternut squash, then first check its stem. If it is unbroken then it can be kept for longer. If the stem is not there, then the squash may ripe soon.

Secondly, check its skin colour. The darker shade of the skin is better. The presence of green patches might indicate that it is not fully ripen.

How to slice Hasselback Butternut Squash?

This is the most important part of the recipe. The whole dish depends on it. Perfect slices result in perfect Hasselback butternut squash.

For Hasselback, butternut squash is thinly sliced but not cut fully to be single pieces. It is always cut around 80% from the top before touching the chopping board or end edge of the squash. There are many hacks for perfectly slicing the butternut squash.

Each slice of the butternut squash should not be too thick and must be even for the best texture. I have sliced them in 2 mm to 3 mm thickness.

How to make hasselback butternut squash?

To prepare the hasselback butternut squash, first cut it in half lengthwise from the core and then deseed it with a spoon. Peel the skin off the squash with a peeler.

Place the butternut squash halves on a wax paper or aluminium foil lined baking tray and bake it for 20 minutes at 220°C/200°C Fan. This process makes the squash soft which helps to Hassel back them easily.

In this In the meantime, take a pan and pour butter into it. Add 8-10 almonds into the pan and roast it for couple of weeks in low flame. Take out the almonds and keep them aside.

Take out the squash from the oven and place it on a chopping board. Place two butter knife on both the sides of the butternut squash half and thinly slice it.

For the dressing, take melted butter in a bowl and add chopped garlic, paprika, black pepper powder, dried basil, salt and mix it well.

Now brush the dressing on the Hassel back butternut squash and place it into the oven for 30 minutes at 220°C/200°C Fan. Brush the dressing on the squash on regular intervals of 10 minutes.

Then take out the butternut squash from the oven. Crush the almonds and add as a crunchy topping.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium Butternut Squash
• 8-10 Almonds
• 2 tablespoons Butter, melted
• 2 large cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon Paprika
• ¼ teaspoon ground Black Pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried Basil
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon Butter to fry the almond

1. Take the butternut squash and cut it in half lengthwise from the stem with a sharp knife. Scope out the seeds with a spoon. Then peel off the skin of the squash with a vegetable peeler.
   

2. Place the flat side down of the butternut squash on a wax paper lined baking tray and rub some oil on it.
   

   Note: Wax paper or aluminium foil helps to keep the baking tray clean.
   

3. On the other hand, preheat the oven at 220°C/200°C Fan/Gas 6.
4. Place the baking tray in the middle of the preheated oven and bake it for 20 minutes until the squash get soften.
   

5. In the meantime, take 2 tablespoon butter in a bowl and microwave it to melt.
   
   

6. Add finely chopped garlic, salt, paprika, ground black pepper, dried basil into the bowl and combine it well. Keep the bowl aside.
   
   

7. After 20 mins, take the tray out of the oven.
   

8. Place one half portion of the butternut squash on a chopping board or any flat surface. Keep the flat surface of the squash down. Place two butter knives horizontally on both the sides of the baked squash. Now thin slice it from the round side of the squash towards the bottom as much as possible with the help of a sharp knife. The butter knives will restrict it to cut although. Slice them to about 2-3 mm thickness. Repeat the same with the second half of the squash.
   

9. Place the squash halves back to the baking tray with the flat surface down. Now brush the dressing (Step 6) over the squash. Allow the dressing to drip into the slices.
   

10. Place it again into the oven for another 30 minutes at 220°C/200°C Fan/Gas 6 until the squash is tender. Brush the dressing thoroughly over the butternut squash in every 10 minutes interval. Don’t skip to pour dressing in between the slices.
11. To prepare the butter roasted almond, put a pan on flame and add some butter into it. Add almonds and fry them on low flame for 2 minutes and keep them aside.
    

12. Take out the butternut squash from the oven and place it on a serving plate. Sprinkle the crushed roasted almonds as topping. Serve warm.

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